The musings of a freeborn Englishman who is totally disenchanted with the present dictatorial attitude that poses as democracy

Monday, 9 August 2010

Yet Another 'Well-Thought-Through Idea' By The Coalition - Not!

Apparently Andrew Lansley, Health Secretary, has intimated that he will change the law if food businesses do not respond to attempts to introduce a voluntary industry system, resulting in restaurants and pubs being forced to reveal calorie counts. Err, and how does he propose this will work for a pub carvery, for example, where the calorie count will vary from person to person depending on the portions self-selected? But I digress..........

On a more serious note, this type of information has long been on the EU 'menu' for legislation. In fact, way back in 2004, the then European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, gave a speech on nutritional labelling in which he said: "....Simple, easily understood information on a few key elements such as energy (total calorie content will be mentioned)....". Various 'papers' have been published, including this and EurActiv has a resume of information available here on strict new food labelling rules to help consumers make healthy choices and tackle obesity, which includes this report on 'the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers'.

Cynic that I am, it seems to me that Lansley is pre-empting legislation - the details of which he is aware - and which he knows is coming from Brussels and despicably presenting it as a Coalition 'incentive' without mentioning the EU element. Nothing new there, then.